


Prince!AU

by Caliope



Category: How to Train Your Dragon (Movies), Rise of the Guardians (2012)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Medieval, Drabble Collection, M/M, Originally Posted on Tumblr
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-02-07
Updated: 2015-02-07
Packaged: 2018-03-10 20:45:21
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,158
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3302891
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Caliope/pseuds/Caliope
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The prince and heir of the North Kingdom isn't like most royals, and on a whim of fate he meets a dragon rider that positively infatuates him. </p><p>[A series of drabbles that started with a request on tumblr and I have basically continued under popular demand. Posting it here for the same reasons.]</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So as the summary says, this began as a series of drabbles that sort of developed a continuity between them and turned to be a story made of really short chapters. 
> 
> I usually take requests on tumblr to practise my writing, but people seem to really like this AU and keep asking for more of it. Also someone asked me to post it here, and I oblige.
> 
> I may warn you that I don't really know yet where this story is leading, and that it doesn't have a posting "schedule" like my other stories, so please be patient.
> 
> I hope you like it! If so, please leave kudos and comments, they make me suuuuper happy!
> 
> \- Caliope.

Prince Jack Frost is known all around the kingdom, beyond his breathtaking beauty and general liking for playing jokes on the maids and servants, because of his ability to sneak out of the castle whenever he has duties to attend to.

Prince Jack is also widely known due to his tendency to attract trouble like a magnet, which is what’s happening right now.

He has been running for several minutes, and as his beating is starting to speed up to dangerous limits he wished he had obeyed the guard’s Captain orders and stayed at the palace; hell, he wished he had at least listened during Aster’s self-defense training, because he isn’t even carrying his sword with him and the situation isn’t looking very good from his point of view.

Would it be worth it not attending to Lord Black’s visit if he died tonight? Right, the guy was almost perfect —he was powerful, intelligent and attractive, ‘everything a prince would hope for’, as his advisers told him— but Jack couldn’t help the sensation of distress that plagued his heart and made his stomach curl unpleasantly when they were left in the same room. And he knew for a fact that Aster didn’t like him either, even if he didn’t vocalize his opinion, because the Captain’s deathly glare always followed the Lord around like that of a hawk stalking his prey.

He suddenly yelps when he feels something pulling him backwards from his cape. Huffing, he tries to detangle the navy blue cloth from the branch that ‘captured him’. His movements are clumsy and his hands are trembling uncontrollably, so he finally rips the fabric with the help of his teeth and starts running again.

The prince notices dozens of yellow pairs of eyes surrounding him at the sides and probably his back, and he turns to his right to try to distract them. He doesn’t know what’s following him; he has never seen a creature with those eyes before, nor his parents ever told him about them. The King and Queen of the North Kingdom were highly knowledgeable in all sorts of things, including of course white and dark magic, although they didn’t practice it. It wasn’t customary in their lands to do so, but before dying they taught Jack a very valuable lesson: it is important to know as much as possible about the world we live in, because we don’t know when that information is going to be useful.

Something hits him from his side and sends him flying against a nearby tree, and the prince wheezes in pain when his ribs connect with the wood and a loud ‘crack’ travels through the air. He tries to stand up in a hurry, only to fall to the ground again, screaming in pain.

He fixes his blue eyes on the tall, black figures before him; those yellow looks seem too cold to be alive, and his breath catches in his throat when he realizes that they’re floating. The creatures aren’t made of flesh, but of something similar to a black fog, and Jack trembles under a foreign pressure in his chest.

They approach him in deliberately slow movements. The prince swears he can hear them laughing cruelly and amusedly at him, but he can’t see their mouths, and he closes his eyes and curls into himself. He’s too exhausted to run anymore.

The sound of his coughing lungs overpowers everything for a moment, and he can taste the metallic undertone of blood in his tongue. Then, without warning, he feels his body being lifted into the chilled night breeze and he opens his heavy eyelids when two arms hold him against something hard and that smells deliciously of leather.

A pair of eyes meets his, but this time they’re the deepest green he has ever seen, even more beautiful than Aster’s ones. He tries to talk to the stranger, to thank him, but another fit of coughs stops him. There’s too much blood in his mouth at this point, and the green eyed man repositions his body into a more comfortable position, his back against his leathered chest, so Jack can spit the red substance out.

A strong, freckled hand presses over his thoracic duct and he feels himself breathing more easily within seconds. His mind blurs again, making it difficult to differentiate anything under them —he’s sure they are flying, but he doesn’t know how— besides a scaly, warm body, and he knows he’s about to faint.

The prince rests the back of his head on a shoulder pad and he closes his eyes again. The voice of the rider calms his nerves enough for him to doze off pressed flushed against his chest.

"Sleep. You’re safe now."


	2. Chapter 2

If prince Jack’s behavior was remotely similar to those of the other royals he wouldn’t be here on the first time, but it’s not like he’s complaining or something.

After all, this is his fault. If prince Jack wasn’t a curious, brave boy he wouldn’t have followed his heart and left the palace to avoid Lord Black that night. He could be proud of himself for that, but he would be happier with that fact if it wasn’t because his ribs hurt like hell.

When he opens blue eyes he can barely see the ceiling of the dark cave he’s in, being disoriented and trying to be wary of his breathing to not freak out. He inhales deeply and exhales slowly, taking in his surroundings. He grazes pale fingertips over the fur he’s being covered with to find it surprisingly soft and smelling of something like forest. He tries to lift his upper body on the makeshift bed with the help of his elbows, only to fall frustratingly over the thin mattress again.

He hears quiet footsteps somewhere, but before he can think of anything else he notices something sniffing hot puffs of air on his hair, and he shrieks when a pair of big green eyes stares at his face happily.

A dragon. There’s a huge black dragon beaming at him and Jack does the only thing he can’t think of at the moment and runs–

Well, at least he tries to. Instead, he falls over the edge of the bed, and now is sitting on the cold hard ground, butt hurt to match the growing pain in his ribs from the effort.

"Oh! Toothless!"

The prince turns his head towards the voice and there stands a man.

The rider.

Now Jack remembers everything, blue eyes suddenly widening in realization and a fit of coughs flooding from his mouth when he tries to speak, much like the first time they saw each other.

"Calm down sir Jack, please", the other male approaches him in two long steps and lifts him easily, sitting him back on the bed next to him, palm rubbing carefully his back and a freckled hand offering him a cup of water. Jack drinks it with tiny sips between coughs, showing a grateful expression over the brim of the cup as the brown haired male encourages him with a shy smile. "I’m sorry Toothless scared you, your Majesty, he gets a little excited around new people."

As if understanding his rider’s words, the giant lizard sits on his haunches by his side and groans pitifully, apologetic look staring directly at him*. Jack doesn’t know why, but the creature suddenly seems oddly cute to him, and he smiles cheekily at the dragon.

"It’s okay, I’m sure he was just being friendly", the prince rubs his neck’s scales carefully, earning a gummy smile in response, tongue lolling out of one side of the mouth. He looks back at the rider, finding their faces too close, and he clears his throat awkwardly. "Where are we?"

"At a safe place, I assure you, sir. When Toothless saw you back at the woods he started following you… We didn’t wanted to bother you, your Majesty, it’s just that he has a weird thing for princes and he simply won’t listen to me when he gets like that–"

"That’s enough", Jack interrupts him out of habit, accustomed to stop his advisors from rambling at their meetings, and the freckled boy shuts his mouth instantly. Jack smiles amusedly at him. So this is the pair of ‘princes kidnappers’ everybody was making such a fuss about lately. Pleased with himself, his voice turns from authoritative to gentle. "You saved my life and I am very grateful for that. You shall not fret…"

"Hiccup. Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the Third, at your service, sir." The rider returns the smile timidly. He supposes it’s of no use to try and hide his obvious concern.

He couldn’t be blamed, though; he always got worried when his dragon arrived at their cove with random royals hanging from his mouth, tail moving proudly like the one of a cat who brings his owner a dead mouse.

Most of the young people back at his home were already engaged or had a partner, and ever since Hiccup complained about it with his dragon during one of their dawn flights, Toothless kept kidnapping boys with the hypnotizing abilities of his green eyes* and playing middleman much to his owner’s mortification.

Why he always picked princes was a mystery to the rider. Hiccup had some theories about it, of course (like, because they usually wore shiny clothing and Toothless liked that? Maybe the ostentatious aura that surrounded those boys reminded the dragon of their home? Even if that didn’t explain why his companion knew about his sexual preferences…), but at the end of the day he was always left with doubts about it and a very embarrassing flight to deliver an angry royal back to his palace.

However, this time was different, not only because Toothless caught Prince Jack of the North Kingdom —with whom Hiccup had an immense crush on—, but because said prince was severely injured. He was asleep for a whole day and a night, Hiccup never leaving his bedside to help him through his fever and cough fits… He was a little disappointed he didn’t get to see him waking up, having been gone for just a few minutes, but he was relieved he seemed better.

Suddenly a pale fingertip pokes his cheek and the rider blushes darkly, he surely had zoned out in front of the white haired male. “Oh, now I got your attention”, the prince giggles and Hiccup’s gaze moves to the floor timidly. “Look at me”, he demands, bossy voice sneaking in the command, and he moves his hand to lift the green eyed man’s chin in a wondering gesture, ignoring the stinging pain that pierce his ribs at the motion. “You look really cute when you’re flustered like that. Your name is also really cute, although too snobbish for a man who lives in a cave.”

"Sir, I think we should get you back to your palace, you’ve got to see a doctor. Your people must be worried about you," he swallows audibly at the compliment, pretending he doesn’t realize that the prince is pretty much openly flirting with him, as well as deliberately avoiding his inquisitive comment. He’s more perceptive than what he seems.

"You said you were ‘at my service’ earlier, sir", Jack smiles amusedly by the other man’s adorably nervous posture. "Fine, you two can take me back to the castle. But I must warn you", he looks at him intently, funny grin turning into a suggestive smirk, "that I’m a little bit spoiled, and I always get what I want. And you, sir, have certainly caught my eye."

Hiccup looks back, blush spreading to the tip of his ears and freckles disappearing under the deep tone. He gulps and nods, unsure about if he should be feeling excited or terrified by his crush’s sudden attention.


	3. Chapter 3

 

"We’re getting closer to the Castle, your Highness", Hiccup’s voice comes slightly blurred by the wind, but Jack nods his head in understanding, "just hold on a bit more, you’ll rest soon."

The prince couldn’t recall his first time flying on a dragon’s back, mostly because he was trying not to die of blood lose then — _and_ _focusing too hard in the prettiest pair or green eyes he had ever seen_ , but the dragon rider didn’t have to know that—.

It was an experience, really. Hiccup suggested to climb behind Jack’s back to hold him securely over Toothless, and right now the white haired man couldn’t agree more. It had been really thoughtful of him; despise the prince’s excitement at first, he was now trying not to look at the fall and sure death under the dragon’s body, and his ribs hurt too much to stay still on his own in this position. He needed to remind himself of thanking the rider later.

Saving his fear of heights, the flight to the castle was a pleasurable one: one of his sides was comfortably snuggled against Hiccup’s leather-clad chest, his body curled and his legs hanging from one of the dragon’s flanks. The fur that the rider had tucked around him was keeping him warm, even if the cold afternoon breeze made his cheeks tickle and his ears redden.

Hiccup, unlike Jack, seems completely undisturbed by the wind that made blue eyes watery at its contact, his expression probably relaxed behind that strange helmet he used. He is still, yet not rigid; his posture speaks of countless flights like this one, and surely some more turbulent ones. As the prince inspects the mask carefully, the rider casts his eyes downwards and their gazes lock together, and Jack can’t prevent the soft blush that spreads high on his pale cheeks from betraying him.

He watches hypnotized how the tender skin around emerald orbs crinkles under the pressure of a hidden smile, and he feels his mouth’s corners moving up as well at the gesture.The prince is so enthralled in it that he doesn’t even notice that Toothless has landed on the castle’s principal garden, and that the dragon is baring his teeth and hissing low in his throat at the guards.

Hiccup pats the scaly animal in a soothing way on his neck before staring defiantly at the leader of the commotion: standing proudly in front of them, not a bit of hesitation in his movements, is a broad-shouldered tall man, green eyes and prematurely grayish hair making his features somewhat colder as he points a nicely polished sword at Toothless’ brow.

"Aster!" Jack says somewhat excitedly, oblivious to the current situation.

The man doesn’t acknowledge the sound, talking fiercely to the armored boy instead. “Let him go right  _now_.”

The rider has seen his own share of warriors growing up, and he can identify him as the Captain of the guard instantly, as well as he can understand his intentions, and the motivation behind them. His prince disappeared for almost two days; he was worried sick, if his glassy gaze is something to tell by. Hiccup is a really empathic being, he can relate to that. But it does nothing to change the fact that he is threatening his dragon.

Nobody touches Toothless without his permission.

"Stop aiming that thing at my companion and we’ll talk." The freckled man kicks the dragon’s flanks softly with his heels and he flushes his body to the ground, making it easier for his master to climb off him with the prince still in his arms. Hiccup covers Jack more carefully with the fur and takes off his helmet, keeping his face as calm as possible, anger boiling dangerously hot in his chest.

"Put the prince on the ground and back off him or I’ll dig this thing between your  _companion’s_  eyes.”

The white haired teen doesn’t understand what’s going on, frowning confusedly at the weird tension that electrifies the air between his Captain and the rider holding him; at least until he hears Bunny’s nasty words, and then everything clicks in his head. “Aster, no! They mean no harm! They rescued me at the woods and tended to my wounds!”

He tries to free himself from Hiccup’s embrace, but the rider simply helps him on his feet and holds him near his chest, making the prince blush slightly at the rather dominant stance. He lets the fur fall to the ground and breathlessly lifts his ragged tunic to show the bandages that Hiccup wrapped nicely around his ribs, freckled fingers grazing his waist sending goosebumps up his spine. Jack wants to moan at the contact, but he’s too focused on Aster’s reluctant face. If he doesn’t get him to back out of this nonsense the guards will follow his orders blindly, which could be fatally for the fate of the rider and his dragon. He has to think of something, and fast.

"And who hurt you on the first place?" The Captain barks the reply and Jack knows that no amount of reasoning is going to make him retreat. He only can appeal to his heart now.

"Please,  _Bunny_ ”, he pleads softly, touching Toothless’ head next to him and showing that he’s harmless when the dragon leans into his palm still keeping his vigilant posture, “let’s all calm down and I’ll explain you everything, okay? I’d like to lay down for a bit, my ribs hurt a lot.”

Hiccup holds him more carefully at the last words and the prince smiles reassuringly at him. Jack knows that both the nickname and mentioning his health are low blows referring to the Captain’s resolution, however he can’t help but smile when the man puts down his sword and the guards copy the move swiftly.

Suddenly coming from one of the garden’s sides appears a maid out of breath, and Jack cries happily upon seeing her. “Anna!”

"Your Highness! We were so worried for you! Thanks God!" The beautiful dark skinned woman approaches him without hesitation, not even casting a glance at the dragon, and hugs him out of Hiccup’s embrace, making the prince yelp in pain.

"We’ll have time for making small talk later", the older man takes the opportunity and lifts Jack bridal style in his arms in an effortless motion, spiting orders through clenched teeth as he starts to walk to the castle, "Toothiana, call the doctor to the prince’s chambers immediately."

"And prepare one of the spare rooms from my wing as well! Hiccup and Toothless will be staying with us for a bit!"

"Not even in your wildest dreams!"

"Anna do it or I’ll fire you all! I’m  _serious_! And Hiccup don’t think of refusing, I’ll  _hunt you down_  if you do!”

The pair and the maid stare at the Captain practically drags the prince inside the building, the younger male kicking and huffing his grasp while they keep angrily arguing with each other, then the woman finally turns to the rider and smiles apologetically at him.

"Now sir, If you’d please follow me…"

Hiccup looks at his companion briefly and curses under his breath. He should have stayed at his cave.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the last written chapter for now! I hope you like it, and as I previously said, from now on chapters will be posted more scarcely, sorry!
> 
> \- Caliope.

Jack enters the rider’s room with muffled steps, the sound of guards approaching from down the corridor hurrying him up.

  
He closes the door behind him and gives a relieved sigh, Toothless looking curiously at him from his spot in front of the fireplace. Jack smiles cheekily, pressing a finger to his lips in a shushing gesture, and the dragon rumbles lowly in his throat some kind of understanding that makes the royal chuckle.

The prince drops to the floor next to the beast, gasping a little when his ribs give a painful tug under the freshly applied bandages and nightshirt. Toothless rubs his muzzle against his side and Jack scratches one of the animal’s ears in gratefulness, smiling fondly when he purrs delightedly in his hands.  
  
"Hey Scalybutt", he calls in a whisper, a pair of reptilian green eyes not seeming so amused anymore, "where is your master, uh?"  
  
Toothless looks upwards and focuses on something behind Jack’s head, the prince squeaking rather loudly at the sight of a pretty much shirtless and wet dragon trainer at his back. “Mind tell me what are you doing in my chambers, your Highness?”  
  
"Uhhh… w-well", Hiccup arches an amused eyebrow and folds his arms at the other boy’s stuttering. Jack mouth falls shut as his blue eyes focus too much on a droplet falling from Hiccup’s braid and onto his neck, the water sliding to a freckled collarbone and further down to one surprisingly taut pectoral muscle—the rider clears his throat and Jack snaps back into reality, a furious blush creeping on his cheeks and making the prince unusually warm. He pulls on a sure facade before standing up and speaking in a casual tone. "Please, call me Jack", he frowns a little at his failed attempt at nonchalance, "I wanted to talk to you. You seemed displeased after dinner."  
  
"Your Captain is… A little bit too inquisitive." The warrior had been specially harsh during the encounter, his questions more focused on interrogating the rider than on keeping an actual conversation, and it only added to the already existent animosity between them, resulting in a scolding Jack and a clearly tense air between them for the rest of the meal. It was made clear how much affection the guard had for him, gelid gaze digging into Hiccup’s skull at the lack of a knife. The older male starts to rub his hair dry with a towel, not minding Jack in the least. It was his castle, after all; he could go to and fro as he pleased.  
  
Jack studies how Hiccup’s muscles tense and relax under the flesh of his back, the light from the firelight drawing shadows along it that make it looks more taut than the real thing… Or maybe the rider isn’t as lanky as he seems under his leather clothes.  
  
"I shall apologize for sir Aster’s behavior", Hiccup turns at his words and the prince bites his lip timidly when he thinks the dragon tamer can’t see him, totally caught in his staring. Blue eyes focus back on the fireplace, but his peripheral vision still follows Hiccup’s every single move. "I recognize that it was rude of him, and that it made you uncomfortable."  
  
"I understand, though. I don’t think he appreciates your idea of letting a complete stranger stay at your castle. He has to be protective of you even when you don’t want him to be.That’s his job." Well, at least that was what the rider told himself, but his words are a bit sourer than what’d sound like genuine acceptance. He couldn’t help but to frown in question at the knight’s wary stance over him and Toothless. Maybe there were other hidden intentions behind sir Aster’s actions, but Hiccup couldn’t ask the prince about it. It wouldn’t be decorous, and he didn’t want to know if Bunnymund had ever accompanied the prince to his bed anyway.  
  
"You aren’t a complete stranger, you saved my life", Jack huffs indignant, hands closing in fists at the thought. In fact, the prince felt like he had known the rider since the day he was born, a strange complicity that he couldn’t still understand turning his ribcage in a drum with the force of his beating whenever Hiccup was near. "But he’s the only one who wants to keep me alive, and I shall thank him for that", Jack says with a hollow laugh; it lacks any real humor and the rider looks confusedly at him.  
  
"Why would you say that, your Highness?" Hiccup leaves the towel on an armchair’s back and walks to the other boy, a naked foot and a metal prosthetic rubbing against the cold floor.  
  
"Being a young heir to the crown grants you a wide range of enemies, I know about this. I can count the people I can rely on with the fingers of just one hand, but the  _betrayers_  are  _uncountable_.” He plays with pinkish fingertips over the flesh of his forearms, his voice a murmur even if it holds anger in it. “Sometimes… Sometimes I wish I wasn’t a prince. Sometimes I wish I was just  _Jack_. If I didn’t have a title and a piece of land maybe people would find my company actually desirable, and they wouldn’t just only befriend me because of my family’s name.”  
  
Hiccup frowns sympathetically to hide how his breath catches in his throat at the confession, but he says nothing. If he voiced how much he really comprehended Jack’s feelings the conversation could lead to paths he can’t tell the prince about. Paths he doesn’t want to  _think_ about.  
  
When they are standing next to each other Hiccup notices that the pale boy’s skin is flushed from the fire’s warm, white bangs falling over casted down blue eyes while the rider’s body glows almost golden, green gaze looking for the prince’s one in a concerned gesture that makes something coil tightly in the prince’s belly. They drink in each other’s features slowly, faint trails of freckles over the royal’s nose and lips slightly chapped, a bit of stubble on the rider’s jaw and a thin scar on his chin. The intimacy of the fire-lit room tickles their fingertips, aching to touch and devour, and Hiccup’s mouth opens unconsciously when Jack’s tongue licks his bottom lip in silent invitation. However, the dragon tamer restrains himself against the obvious attraction, so the smaller boy hooks his thin arms on the taller’s neck, blunt nails digging in the reddish hair of his nape still wet by the shower and head slightly cocked to the side in mocking innocence.  
  
” _Do you find my company desirable?_ " Jack presses his body impossibly closer to the rider’s one as he whispers, glazed orbs peeking at viridian gems through full lashes, and Hiccup stops himself from saying what exactly he finds  _desirable_  about the boy in his arms.  
  
They both know what’s going on, but no one seem to want to stop the prince’s little game, the rider’s mind debating wether to put distance between them or to pin the other boy against the rug in front of the fire and finish with this nonsense. Jack smirks at him and Hiccup almost  _moans_  at the natural sensuality of the gesture, the prince’s playing starting to turn unfair.  
  
"I do", Hiccup’s answer comes out with a heavy sigh, his rougher hands gripping the prince’s ribs and massaging them over the clothing and bandages, vaguely noticing how his breath turns shallower. He moves his gaze away from that look, not trusting his willpower when the smaller male stares at him like that. "But I don’t think this is a good idea, your Highness."  
  
"You said you were at my  _service_. Now stop calling me that, there’s no need for formalities”, the prince practically purrs, and the dragon tamer hides those green eyes of his with a shudder full of submission. The prince leans in to close the distance between them.  
  
But Jack’s lips kiss thin air, his mouth opening in a sharp cry of pain as he is violently yanked backwards by his waist, black sand gripping his chest and throat tightly making it difficult to breathe. He’s  _suddenly_ being maneuvered out of the chamber’s windows, his screams muffled against the dark substance, the only sound he can hear being the voice of Hiccup calling him. “ _Jack!_ ”  
  
He can see Aster and the guards fighting sand-like creatures in the garden under him, dozens of yellow eyes like those from three nights ago forming ethereal figures. The prince claws at his captor, only to find it scurrying under his fingertips and nails. Jack coughs at the sand that tries to suffocate him.  
  
A powerful shot of light blinds him for a moment, and the pale boy can barely distinguish Toothless’ sleek body against the night sky, Hiccup crouched low on his back. Sand engulfs him and Jack kicks his legs in agony, pure terror cursing through his veins when he can only see darkness around him.  
  
A high-pitched screech and another shot of light is everything the young prince senses before finding himself  _falling_ , the creature’s grasp no longer lifting him through the air, closing his eyes and bracing himself for the impact.  
  
Thankfully the blow never comes, and Jack is too scared to look, but he feels how a pair of warm scaly limbs circle around him and hold him tight against the hot mass of a body, the fall stoping mid-air suddenly. The prince creaks one orb open only to see Toothless smiling happily at him, much like the first time he met the dragon, a relieved although shocked laugh bubbling from Jack’s mouth.  
  
His heart jumps in his chest when Toothless’ muzzle grips him by his nightshirt and the dragon yanks him upwards, the prince  _flying_ for a few seconds and landing securely on Hiccup’s ready arms with a yelp. Jack glares at the rider and hits him on the shoulder, although it’s too weak to even consider it an attack. Hiccup can’t fight the amused smile that pulls at his lips.  
  
Sand covers the ground completely by the moment they land, the prince’s guards taking care of the last creatures and watching wide-eyed as they melt in tiny handfuls of harmless dust. The Captain approaches them in a halt, taking the prince from the rider’s arms and searching for any injuries.  
  
Aster sighs a relieved breath when Jack seems to be intact, just a tiny bit shocked at worst, the infuriating royal safe and sound on his lap. He nods at Hiccup and Toothless, a short but grateful gesture that makes the rider smirk a bit. That’s better than nothing.  
  
The rider gets off the dragon’s back and comes closer as well. “Your Highness, are you okay?”  
  
” _Don’t_  do that ever again, Hiccup”, the prince wheezes seriously, his throat sore where the creature squeezed him and eyelids heavy with the lack of oxygen, but he manages to scold the rider anyway. “ _I don’t want you to save me so you can kill me of a heart attack later_ ”, he murmurs while clutching his chest, and the Captain of the Guard actually snorts a little at his prince’s dramatic skills.  
  
Hiccup scoffs at his absurdity — _he wouldn’t have let him fall, for Odin’s sake_ — but nods his head positive. He’d love to kiss Jack’s pout away and sway him in his arms, the rider slightly scared himself after the whole event. He opts for ruffling white locks, though, not wanting to anger sir Aster now that he seems to hate him a little less.  
  
"Now your Highness, mind you explain what were you doing at our  _guest’s chambers_  this late at night?”  
  
Hiccup coughs bashfully when Jack sticks his tongue out at the mocking Captain, the prince folding his arms against his chest as an embarrassed blush settles on his cheeks.


End file.
